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Scientists found a way to restore brain cells impaired by a rare genetic disorder

By Jon Hamilton

Published April 28, 2024 at 8:12 AM EDT

Researchers have been able to reverse the effects of a syndrome that affects brain development in a brain organoid. (This story first aired on All Things Considered on April 24, 2024.)

Jon Hamilton

Jon Hamilton is a correspondent for NPR's Science Desk. Currently he focuses on neuroscience and health risks.

See stories by Jon Hamilton

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Can the prescription drug leucovorin treat autism? History says, probably not

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Parents of autistic children are clamoring for a prescription vitamin promoted by federal health officials. But there's little evidence the drug will help.
A once-obscure cancer drug has become a celebrity in the autism community

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The cancer drug leucovorin has been in high demand since the Trump administration endorsed it as a treatment for some autistic kids. Some experts say the drug's popularity has outpaced the science.
Brain organoids are helping researchers, but their use also creates unease

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Pea-size clusters of human cells called brain organoids inspire both hope and fear. Experts are debating how scientists can responsibly use these bits of gray matter.